Cadillac Lyriq-V spied testing near Detroit

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Cadillac is seeking to reclaim its title as ‘Standard of the World’ as it enters its all-electric era, putting a good foot forward with the new Lyriq, a hulking SUV which makes either 340 or 500 horsepower depending on the number of driven wheels. However, rumours have been swirling about an even more powerful trim in the offing, one which bears the brand’s vaunted ‘V’ badge.

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Our spies in Detroit caught up with such a rig earlier this week. Spotted undergoing tests on public roads, this camo’d Caddy bears plenty of dark grey and black accents — telltale signs of a hotted-up powertrain packed into its Ultium platform. Other visual cues are found up front, such as the grille (which isn’t actually a grille since this is an EV, of course) featuring a unique upper section combined with a mesh-like pattern. That design aligns well with what Cadillac is currently installing on other members of the V family.

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The front end also seems to have a more aggressive bottom lip which likely serves some sort of aero benefit. While the body side is camouflaged, it’s easy to pick out a side splitter — again, an addition which could double as contributing to a more aggro look while also helping with aero. Remember, each body tweak which helps a vehicle cut a cleaner path through the air helps with an EV’s total range. Tougher to discern are changes to the rear bumper, though it is likely there will be ‘V’ tweaks here as well.

Power numbers are a mystery for now, but it is safe to predict the Lyriq-V will be more powerful than either trim currently on sale today. The most fleet-of-foot model makes 500 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, so expect at least 600 ponies from the V. Uncorking more oomph from an electric car takes a different set of tools than juicing a traditional gasoline-powered engine, but GM is well equipped to leverage the well of experience it has amassed in the short amount of time its Ultium platform has been on sale.

Expect a Lyriq-V announcement sometime this year, perhaps at the auto show in Detroit or L.A.

Check out the latest Cadillac Lyriq model.